Motion picture projector



Dec. 14, 1943.

R. J. MILLER MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR Filed DeG. l, 1941 II-E...

V'mi

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR Raymond J. Miller, Detroit, Mich., assignor to American Pattern and Manufacturing Co., Detroit, Mich., a co-partnership consisting of said Miller and Alfred E. Wilson, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 1, 1941, Serial N0. 421,114

3 Claims.

This invention relates to motion picture projectors and more particularly to an improved re valve and clean-out drawer adapted to be removably interposed between the film magazines and the film compartment of a motion picture projector.

In modern motion picture projectors, inde pendent visual images carried by suitable strip material are successively aligned with an aperture formed in a member and are projected onto a screen by a light directed through the aperture and film to create the illusion of motion.

The lm may be lformed of Celluloid or any other relatively transparent material having the desired qualities of fiexibility, uniformity of texture and durability,

The materials heretofore found suitable for motion picture projector nlm are highly infiam mable. The light employed to project the images from the film onto the screen may emanate from any suitable light source, and the light rays are concentrated on the film aligned with the aperture. When the spaced nlm frames are aligned with the aperture to project the visual images onto the screen, the highly infiammable film is subjected to the full heat intensity of the concentrated rays of the projecting light. A considerable nre hazard is thus involved.

The strip lm material is stored and transported in roll form, being wound on suitable reels. In the operation of the projector, the film is withdrawn from one reel preferably positioned in an upper lm magazine, and is successively directed through a film compartment of the projector and a sound head to a second reel positioned in a lower nlm magazine.

As the nlm is withdrawn from the upper lm magazine and is directed through the nlm compartment of the projector, small particles of film and film shavings are released from the lm and become deposited throughout the lm compartment. This is-particularly true of old nlm or nlm which has been used repeatedly. In view of the highly infiammable nature of the film material, the depositing of film particles and dust throughout the film compartment of the projector and the sound head constitutes a serious fire hazard, particularly in view of the fact that the air within the film compartment is normally light to a relatively high heated by the projecting degree. t

An object of this invention is to provide a removable clean-out drawer and fire valve interposed between the film magazines and the lm compartment of the projector to collect film parl-out drawer positioned between a. lm magazine and the nlm compartment of a motion picture projector whereby accumulated lm particles and film dust may be readily and frequently removed.

'Still another object is to provide a removable a slotted wall supporting adjacently disposed re valve rollers in such a manner that strip ilm material may be introduced through the slotted wall into the space between the re valve rollers while the removable framework is in place between a lm magazine and the film compartment of a motion picture projector.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved lm magazine adapter for a motion picture projector having a removable cleanout drawer supportedly mounted therein.

Another object is to provide a split fire valve and clean-out drawer movably supported on suitable guides in a. magazine adapter whereby the drawer may be readily removed to clean-out accumulated film chips and dust without disturbing the other parts of the projector.

Yet a still further object resides in the provision of a novel and improved removable cleanout drawer having fire valve rollers mounted in an improved manner whereby the rollers are supported at one end by spaced members to provide a space between the rollers for the reception of film, and the rollers are internally lubricated in such a manner that excess lubricant is thrown ofi the rollers beyond the edge of the film.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed dethat purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a motion picture projector embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in full lines the clean-out drawer in the operative position, and in dot-dash lines showing the clean-out drawer in the removed or cleaning position.

Fig: 3'is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views taken substantially on the lines dma, 5-5 and --B of Fig. 2 respectively, each looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a, fragmentary view similar to Fig. 7, showing a still further modified form of the invention. l

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. l, it will be observed that the invention is illustrated as applied to a motion picture projector having a main casing il) housing a lm compartment l2 closed by a door lli.v The film vcompartment l2 houses a iilm driving sprocket i6 cooperating with other film guiding and driving means not shown to withdraw strip nlm material i8 from a reel 2@ to intermittently align spaced frames of the lrn material with an aperture for projection onto a screen positioned at a, distance from the projector.

The reel 2@ may be rotatably supported in a nlm magazine 22 positioned above the casing l0 of the projector. A magazine adapter 2d having a substantially at bottom surface 26' and an arcuate shaped upper surface 28 contoured to receive the iilm magazine 2@ may be interposed between the magazine 2Q and the projector casing lil. The film it passes through the film compartment l? and a sound head preferably' positioned beneath the lm compartment and is wound on another reel similar to the reel positioned in a film magazine preferably positioned beneath the sound head of the projection device. .Another iire tray may be interposed between the sound head and the lower film magazine.

As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the magazine adapter iid may be detachably connested to the top of the casing l@ by suitable screws 3b. A vertically extended reinforced bracket @l supports the nlm magazine 22 in operative position on the casing l@ of the projector.

rThe magazine adapter 2t is preferably formed with laterally extending front and rear rigidifying flanges 32. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the magazine adapter 22 has .its lower front portion cut away as illustrated at 3e to form a slot for the reception of the strip film material l for threading the projector. The slot 3&1 is aligned vertically with a slot 3@ formed in the top of the-projector casing l@ as illustrated in Fig. 3.

A clean-out drawer or tray 38 is removably mounted in the magazine adapter 2t.' Guiding asearee means may be interposed between the drawer 3S and the magazine adapter 2li. One suitable form of guiding means comprises spaced rods l0 carried by the magazine adapter 2Q to project through the clean-out drawer 38 and guide it in its movement into and out of the magazine adapter 2Q.

The clean-out drawer 38 is provided with a plurality of spaced film guiding rollers, such for example as a large roller l2 and a plurality of vertically spaced smaller rollers llt. The rollers 42 and d@ are suitably journalled in front and back walls Il@ and 58 respectively of the cleanout drawer 38. The rollers are so spaced that their peripheries extend beyond each other so that the lm in passing through them must take a zig-zag course, thus more efiectively closing ol the slot in case of fire, and assuring constant rotation of the rollers. The front wall 66 of the drawer is formed with a slot 5U aligned with the slots 3@ and 3S in the lm magazine 22 and casing l of the projector respectively.

Locking means such for example as spring pressed balls 52 positioned in bosses 513 formed in the drawer 38 may be provided to engage within grooves 56 formed in the guide rods i. The balls 52 project into the groves 56 to maintain the drawer 38 in the closed position until it is subjected to a force axially of the rods @D of sufficient magnitude to yieldingly urge the balls out of the groovesagainst the resistance of their associated springs whereupon the drawer 353 may be withdrawn fro'm the magazine adapter 26.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, each of the rollers i2 and revolves on a separate shaft 69. As more clearly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, each of the shafts 60 may be held in place in the clean-out drawer 38 by a male screw threaded member 62 at one end, and by a female screw threaded member E@ at the other end. The shafts 60 are preferably prevented from rotating with their associated rollers i2 and lll by the connections 62 and Sli. Suitable spacers 'i2 are provided to position the rollers axially relative to the threaded members 62 and 64.

'I'he members 64 are.y formed with oil ducts 66 communicating with axially extending oil ducts 68 formed in the shafts 60 for the rollers l2 and till. The axially extending oil ducts 68 terminate in radially extended ducts 69 positioned approximately midway of the length of the shafts 6U. Oil supplied periodically to lubricate the rollers l2 and de is introduced through the ducts 66 of the members 64 and travels through the axially extending ducts 68 to the radially extended ducts 39. The oil is then discharged to the space between the shafts 6U and the rollers i2 and Ml substantially midway between the ends of the rollers. Any excess lubricant which seeps out from the space between the roller and its associated shaft is thrown outwardly by centrifugal force beyond the edge of the lm. Lubricant is thus prevented from being deposited on the film.

In the operation of this device i'llin I8 withdrawn from the reel 2|] passes between the rollers d2 and 413 and is then directed to the film driving sprocket i6 in the film compartment l2 of the projector. In passing between the relatively closely spaced rollers 432 and lll which rotate freely under the frictional contact of the film i8 therewith, any film dust or chips of loose pieces of film are thrown off from the nlm and are deposited in the clean-out drawer 38. Film dust and chips are thus substantially prevented from entering the film compartment 2 of the projector.

After the projector has been operating for a substantially predetermined period of time, the drawer 38 may be removed from the film adapter 24 and cleaned without disturbing any other part of the projector or removing the film magazine 22.

To remove the clean-out drawer 38 the operator reaches within the magazine 22 after the reel is removed and while the access door of the lm magazine 22 is open and exerts a force against the inner side of the front wall 45 of the drawer 38. When a force is exerted on the drawer 38 axially of the guide rods 40 of sufficient magnitude to withdraw the locking balls 52 from the grooves 56 formed in the rods 40, the drawer 38 slides outwardly. The drawer 38 including its rollers 42 and 44 and the upper wall of the casing l0 adjacent the slot 3B may then be easily cleaned. After the cleaning operation has been performed the drawer 38 may be replaced in the magazine adapter 24 between the lin compartment I2 and the film magazine 22.

quent intervals before they collect in sufficient I quantities to constitute a re hazard.

At present in other projectors it is almost impossible to clean out the fire valve without removing the upper magazine from the projector and dismantling the rollers. Because of this the vital cleaning apparatus is neglected. It is important to prevent the frequent cause of re, the chips of nlm from accumulating in the valve and afterwards being shaken down by vibration so that they fall in the path of the projection light where they become ignited very readily, setting re to the rapidly moving film that is otherwise protected from the light by its motion.

If a ire results in the the projector, the fire valve rollers 42 and v44 tend to rapid rate to extinguish the re before it reaches the film magazine 22.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7 is similar in many respects to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6. Corresponding parts have therefore been given corresponding reference numerals with the addition of |80;

The removable fire tray I 38 is supported on the top of the projector casing and, if desired, may be guided by springs |14 attached to the magazine adapter |24 as by screws |76. The springs |14 may be provided with bent end portions to engage within vertically extending slots |18 formed in the end walls of the clean-out drawer |38.

The embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9 is also similar in many respects to the embodiment of the invention of Figs. 1 to 6. Corresponding parts have been given corresponding reference numerals with the addition of 200.

The removable clean-out drawer'.4 238 is yieldingly held in place in the magazine adapter` 224 by means of plungers 280 being journalled in the magazine adapter 224. The heads of the plungers 280 are yieldingly urged towards the front wall of the adapter 224 by springs 282 interposed between the shank of the plunger and the inner surface of the front wall of the adapter 224.

The plungers 280 are each provided with a screw driver slot whereby they may be rotated, and have one side cut away to permit the removable nre tray to pass into or out ofthe adapter 224 when rotated to align the cut-away portion with the edge of the adapter adjacent the removable clean-ont drawer 238. In the locke-:l position as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. the plungers 280 yieldingly hold the removable nre tray in the operative or assembled position with the magazine adapter 224.

f desired, a magazine adapter having a removable clean-out drawer may be interposed between the sound head and the lower film magazine to of which supports the rollers adapted to lie on one side of the nlm.

This is a continuation-impart of my co-pending application Serial No. 250,310, led January 11, 1939.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture projector a housing enclosing a film compartment, a lrn magazine positioned above the housing, a magazine adapter interposed between the housing and the lm magazine and having a substantially vertical back tween the rods and bosses, and yielding means associated with the bosses to actuate the lockthe drawer in assembled relation in the magazine adapter and to permit ready removal of the drawer for cleaning the rollers.

2. In a motion picture projector a housing having a lm compartment, a film magazine positioned above the housing, a magazine adapter interposed between the housing and the lm maghaving a back wall and a front wall front wall, fire valve rollers journaled on saidv shafts, oil ducts extending centrally of said shafts and communicating with the space between the shafts and rollers between the ends of the rollers, and yielding means between the magazine adapter and lthe clean-out drawer operable when the cleanont ira-Wer approaches the fully closed position to maintain the drawer in assembled relation in th ezine adapter.

i a nlotion picture projector a housing enclosing' a :lilm oormiartment, a, film magazine posi tionen above the housing, a magazine adapter lnternosed between the housing andthe film magaalne and having an uninterrupted substantially vertical back wall and a front wallvslotted vertically to permit threading of film into the projector, a removable clean-out drawer slidably mounted in the magazine adapter, the clean-out drawer having an uninterrupted substantially vertical back Wall adapted to be positioned in alignment with the uninterrupted substantially vertical back wall of the magazine adapter, the

tion in the magazine adapter and to permit ready` removal of the drawer for cleaning the rollers upon application of a force directed towards the front Wall thereof. l

RAYMOND J. MILLER. 

